FRA allows for testing of ECP brakes

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has granted, on March 21st, 2007, a waiver to allow for the testing of electronically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brakes on BNSF and NS locomotives and rail cars.

This new tested braking technology could significantly enhance rail safety and efficiency. It offers major benefits in freight train handling, car maintenance, fuel savings and network capacity.

With the current braking system, developed back in the 1870’s, freight train cars brake individually, at the speed of the air pressure moving from car to car, along trains that are often well over a mile in length.

This conventional braking contributes to excessive in-train forces, challenges in train handling, longer stopping distances, and safety risks of prematurely depleting air brake reservoirs. These problems are greatly reduced in the ECP brake mode of operation,
during which all cars brake simultaneously, driven by an electronic signal.

ECP systems simultaneouslyapply and release freight car airbrakes:

• Through a hard-wired electronic pathway down the length of the train;
• No delay, and no run-in of slack from the rear of the train.

Joseph Boardman, FRA’s administrator, said he believes the technology can prevent accidents, in part because ECP brakes allow the engineer to “back off” braking effort to match track grade and curvature, without completely releasing the brakes — with these significant added benefits:

• Saves fuel and reduces emissions;
• Reduces wear / stress on wheels and brake shoes;
• Reduces chance of run-away from overheating of the brake shoe / wheel interface.

Futhermore, ECP brakes provide a tool to manage in-train forces and reduce train handling derailments as well as reduce chances of runaway trains.

The FRA said the brakes are designed to allow trains to travel up to 3,500 miles without inspections which is more than double the distance normally allowed by the government.

The agency adds that the waiver allows it to gather data to be used in developing a proposed rulemaking on ECP brakes.

Several conditions were placed by the FRA on the waiver approval, including requirements that the railroads (1) clearly define a process for handling brake problems discovered en route, (2) ensure that qualified individuals perform ECP brake inspections and that (3) they provide appropriate training to crew members.

Tags: ecp, ecp braking, pneumatic brakes, train brakes, braking system, fra, bnsf, ns